Tsuga was beginning to feel the familiar stirrings of anticipation that often accompanied the undertaking of something new. She’d never considered herself a teacher before but the Head Gaidin had insisted that she try her hand as an instructor. She didn’t quite feel confident enough in any of her skills to actually make an effort to teach them to anyone else, but after some deliberation they had decided that she was a good enough rider and comfortable enough in the saddle to teach completely horse-stupid people how to keep from making idiots of themselves.

Today was the day. She had made sure to reserve plenty of docile mounts for this lesson – surprisingly easy to find in the White Tower, as most Aes Sedai didn’t want a beast that would give them too much trouble – and that they would have plenty of room to work, just in case something went wrong. No need to have pedestrians trampled because of some idiot’s mistakes.

The day had dawned bright and clear, with a particular nip in the air that would no doubt fade later in the day. This was the kind of weather in which Tsuga most loved to ride, but it could pose problems for the beginners. Cool mornings often left the horses frisky and energetic, ready to test their riders while they worked off their extra energy. She was already running through possible options for making sure that no one encountered any major difficulties. Ground work was definitely the place to start.

She dressed quickly, pulling on her best outfit and her sturdy riding boots. She debated whether she should buckle on her sword and knife, but quickly decided to wear them despite the fact that they would pose as obstacles to her and little else. As she fastened the belt comfortably around her hips, she decided to make the students wear practice swords as well, since most of them would have to learn to handle horses with a sword later anyways. It might help them understand some of the finer points of riding, as well (such as why you never mounted a horse from its right hand side).

It had been posted several days ago that the lesson would begin promptly at the second bell today – that would give everyone plenty of time to eat and get ready, and the horses long enough to have a leisurely breakfast as well. Not wanting any of the students to show up before her (that was bad form, especially for her first lesson on the other side of the lectern, so to speak), she left her room, as always, just as the sun was peeking out from under its own covers. She walked briskly to the mess hall, enjoying the cool spring air, and ate quickly once inside, anxious to be back outside again. It was not unusual for her to all but itch when under a roof. She was simply one of those people that was born to be out-of-doors.

On the way to the stables, Tsuga found herself humming, and she had to keep from breaking into a jog for the sheer joy of the movement. Her stomach churned with nerves, setting off extra energy (which she certainly didn’t need this morning), and once she reached the barns she could no longer contain herself. Those assigned stable duty were just finishing with the feed distribution and beginning the mundane task of mucking stalls. Anxious to burn off some of her excess nerves, she grabbed a pitchfork and wheelbarrow and set to with a vengeance. As she worked, she hummed under her breath, occasionally breaking her rhythm occasionally to speak to some of the others inside, making sure that things were set for her lesson today.

At last, the time was upon her, and she left the stall that she had finished and planted herself in the doorway, leaning against the frame and staring down the path. She would be ready and waiting when the first pupil showed up, even if she was covered in hay and smelling distinctly of manure.

The people began trickling in, some by themselves, others in groups of two or three, and at last the second bell rang. As this signaled the beginning of the lesson, Tsuga stepped out into the sunlight and waited a few seconds for silence. Unfortunately, she didn’t get it – from her appearance, the group no doubt assumed that she was merely assigned stable duty for the day and had no reason to pay attention to her. Mildly irritated but willing to allow for misunderstandings, Tsuga pitched her voice to carry and began.

“Good morning. I am Tsuga Sei’Tar, and if you’re not here for horsemanship, you’re in the wrong place.” She paused, just to see if anyone was indeed dumb enough to stumble across the wrong lesson. When no one moved, she went on. “Now then, we’re going to start by having everyone tell me their names, rank, and something you know about horses or riding. Try not to repeat what someone else has said – I want to see what we’ve got to work with, here.”

OOC: Hello and welcome to Horses 101. ^_^ You heard her – name, rank, and something horsey. This is Beginner’s Horse, so join up accordingly. Muahaha. My schedule’s a little crazy, so the posting may be sporadic, but I’ll do my best to keep about a week between posts, maybe more if it looks like we’ll need it. If for any reason you join and need an extension, please let me know! I’m pretty sure this is an Optional credit (but you might want to check with Jeremy just to be sure). I’ll aim for next Friday-ish for Part I. This should be fun.

Satisfied with her the progress her students had made so far, Tsuga finally decided to meander their way back to the Tower stables. When they had at last all made it safe and sound, she turned her... more

After their rounds in the arena at first a walk, and then a trot and canter, Tsuga felt varying degrees of disgust and pride. Some of the students had actually fallen off while still walking. Others... more

Quirin’s back hurt, his shoulders ached, his backside was screaming at him and his arms felt as though they were lead, on top of that he had a headache and he was tired. The Mindean boy had not had... more

Tsuga listened patiently as her students introduced themselves. She recognized most of them, either from other lessons they’d had together or from actually meeting them. She almost cringed to see... more

“Quirin, you will be working with this gelding. He’s pretty placid but the biggest problem you’ll face is getting the horse to do what you want; he has a tendency to do the exact opposite.” The... more

Kamion was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet with excitement. She had overcome her shyness about starting the class-everyone here looked nice and friendly. It seemed as if everyone had... more

If anyone were to ask him just why he was attending a lesson on horses, he might not be able to give them an answer; not a good one at least. Sure, he was by no means an expert on horses, but at... more

With an effort not to wince, Zahava stood as straight as she possibly could while her bloodshot brown eyes stared straight ahead. It felt very important to show this midget of a woman that she was,... more

Kamion gulped her breakfast and said a hasty farewell to those who were sitting at her table. She had a lesson this morning, at the second bell, and she didn't want to be late. Kamion had heard about ... more

The fresh and pungent odor perpetrated the Aielwoman nostrils as she approached the designated stable for this 'Horse' lesson. Now, grant it, Nyda herself had nothing against the scent of manure. In... more